The USA Pro Cycling Challenge has turned into the giant of US racing. Its closest competitor, the Amgen Tour of California held in May, competes against the Giro d’ Italia to draw top riders. The Pro Cycling Challenge, held August 19 to 25 this year, has found a perfect slot in the calendar to draw top riders and is held in a state where spectators froth at the mouth for endurance events. The Colorado race is flanked by two other North American UCI races: the Tour of Utah and the new Tour of Alberta. But it’s the pull of Colorado that makes it the big brother that is holding the hands of the other two races to help them get across the street. More than one million spectators watched the race in 2012, and with 2013 Tour de France champion Chris Froome attending this year, crowds may be even larger.

Often, the Tour winner usually shuts down his racing schedule in August and disappears until the following year. In 2010 Alberto Contador stopped racing completely, in 2012 Bradley Wiggins only competed two times, and Cadel Evans stopped after the Colorado race in 2011. It remains to be seen what races Froome may compete in after the Tour of Colorado. If he follows in the footsteps of previous Tour winners, this could be the last time we see him race until 2014.

This year’s stacked USA Pro Challenge roster includes Froome’s Team Sky teammate Richie Porte. Porte was the main workhorse who delivered Froome to Paris and is a real threat to win if Froome falters at all. Additionally, Sky brings two young climbing talents in Ian Boswell and Joe Dombrowski, making it the strongest team at the race.

Last year, Tejay van Garderen led the USA Pro Cycling Challenge until he lost time in the final-stage time trial to the eventual winner Christian Vande Velde (Garmin). Neither Vande Velde nor van Garderen have recently shown the form to be in the fight for the lead in this year’s event. The same could have been said for Tom Danielson (Garmin), but his impressive win at the Tour of Utah has turned his season around. Van Garderen will be looking for redemption after last year’s near-miss and his disappointing Tour de France.

Team Garmin comes with an additional card to play: Andrew Talansky. After finishing 10th overall at the Tour de France, Talansky will be looking to build on that momentum. He is very good in the mountains and even better at time trials, and he could prove to be the one rider to be able to challenge Team Sky.

RadioShack won’t have Chris Horner, as he’s headed to the Vuelta, so it has to rely on Andy Schleck and veteran Andreas Kloden. A surprise from that camp could come from Tony Gallopin and George Bennett if the two young, promising riders are given the freedom to attack.

Taking just a small step outside of the favorites, there is Michael Rogers (Saxo-Tinkoff) and last year’s popular winner of Stage 6 in Boulder, Rory Sutherland (Saxo-Tinkoff). I also have to include Janier Acevedo from Jamis. He is a true climber who has proven himself all year long. He started off with results in San Luis Argentina at the start of the year, Tour of California, and recently the Tour of Utah. He likes to attack and can climb with the best. However, compared with the rest of the group, he suffers in time trials.

Lastly, one rider who will surely make an impact is Peter Sagan (Cannondale). He has an uncanny ability to make it over some of the tough climbs and has a finishing speed that only a few in the world can match. Anytime there is a group of 20 or more riders he surely will be one of them contesting for the finish. On days when the group is larger he will have to worry about some of the sprint specialists from the domestic teams: JJ Haedo (Jamis), Freddy Rodriguez (Jelly Belly), and Ken Hanson (Optum).

Overall, this year’s USA Pro Cycling Challenge course is not that difficult. There is only a small summit finish, with many of the larger climbs followed by extended descents toward the finishes. So it’s just hard enough to get rid of the weaker riders, while keeping the GC relatively intact until the third to last day where the time trial will decide everything.